Prima Donna by Karen Swan

even in the gym today he’d looked coordinated, like he was off
for a game of racquetball. But now, Pia noticed how his top button was undone, his tie hanging limply, his shirt scarcely tucked in over his flat stomach. He looked rumpled, like the women were
gently mauling him, trying to get at him. From a distance she could see why, although she wasn’t going to forgive him any time soon for his conviction that she could be bought.
    She looked away hotly and tried to focus on tonight’s suitor, but her gaze kept getting drawn back. He
had
to have seen her. The eyes of every other man in the room were on her.
Why should he be the only one who was blind? He’d gone out of his way to go after her only three days ago in New York – paying $200,000 for a minute of her time – and yet now he
was flirting with every other woman in the room
but
her.
    ‘Come on, baby, let’s go back to my hotel,’ mumbled the rock star into her neck. She caught a whiff of his hair. Yes, definitely her type. She closed her eyes and tried to get
into the mood. She just felt sleepy and didn’t fancy him in the least, but she got up anyway. It was better than sleeping alone again.
    She put her drink down and grabbed her bag from the table, blowing insincere kisses to Cosima. ‘We’ll catch up in Palm Beach at Easter.’
    She turned and found a fresh glass of champagne placed into her hand.
    ‘Don’t tell me you’re actually going to leave with him,’ Will said, eyes glittering. He seemed amused.
    Pia raised her eyebrows haughtily. ‘Of course. Don’t you know who he is?’
    ‘I couldn’t give a shit,’ Will said flatly. ‘And neither could you.’
    ‘On the contrary, he’s just my type,’ she purred.
    ‘You couldn’t be less interested in him. You’re just using him to run away from me again.’
    ‘Oh. So it’s all about you, is it?’ she said sarcastically. ‘And how exactly could I be running
from
you? I haven’t been near you all night. Your silicone
security team have seen to that,’ she said.
    Will smiled, his eyes simmering. ‘You know they’re nothing. Just like he’s nothing,’ he said, looking over at the rocker, who was standing nearby, swaying slightly,
waiting for Pia. ‘You can go,’ Will said, dismissing him like he was a serf. ‘She’s not going with you.’
    Pia glared, outraged, but she didn’t contradict him. The rocker shrugged drunkenly – whatever – and swaggered off.
    ‘Well, I’m surprised you even noticed,’ she sniffed, watching him go.
    ‘I notice everything about you, Pia Soto,’ he said. ‘I notice the way you sniff when you’re feeling vulnerable, for example. I notice the way your right thumb rubs your
palm when you’re nervous. I notice the way you wince when you land on your left leg because your right leg is fractionally shorter and it’s putting stress on your—’
    Pia gasped. ‘How do you know about that?’
    ‘I’ve already told you I’m a benefactor to the Royal Ballet. I make a point of knowing everything there is to know about what I’m investing in. And what the greatest
assets are.’ He took a sip of his brandy, his eyes never leaving her. ‘I also noticed the way you circled Alonso Rodriguez’s name in your programme that you left on your seat; and
I noticed the way you’ve been looking for him ever since you got here.’
    ‘I have not,’ she protested.
    ‘You want to seduce him to spite me, don’t you?’ His eyes were amused.
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she said, tossing her head, appalled he’d read her so clearly.
    He looked around casually. ‘It’s okay. It takes one to know one,’ he said, looking back at her.
    ‘You and I are nothing alike. I – I have great talent for one thing. I am world class.’
    ‘And so’s your ego,’ he laughed. ‘But you get away with it because you’re so damned pretty.’
    Never
had a man spoken to her like this before. Who did he think he was? Clenching her fist, she stamped a foot in